Controller for use with communications systems for generating a condensed text message index

• US 6,606,373 B1
• Filed: 06/14/1999
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: USA Mobility Wireless, Inc. (Spok Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WebLink Wireless, Inc. (Spok Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Martin, Larry J.
• Primary Examiner(s): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US09/332,840
• Time in Patent Office: 1,520 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.01, 379/88.05, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88.15, 379/88.16, 379/88.22, 704/275, 455/412, 455/413, 455/414, 455/466
• US Class Current: 379/88.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/658 Combination of voice calls and paging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components

Abstract

There is disclosed a non-realtime messaging system that delivers a subscriber message index to a subscriber'"'"'s pager device. The subscriber message index is a condensed summary of one or more of the messages directed to the subscriber. The messaging system comprises: 1) a messaging controller for receiving oral messages directed to a subscriber and for transmitting text messages to the subscriber'"'"'s pager; 2) a translating controller for generating translated text messages, wherein each of the translated text messages corresponds to one of the received oral messages; 3) a data repository capable of storing the translated text messages; and 4) a summary index controller for generating from the translated text messages the subscriber message index.

Claims

1. A non-realtime messaging system comprising:

a messaging controller operable to receive from callers oral messages directed to a first subscriber of said non-realtime messaging system and operable to transmit text messages to a communications device associated with said first subscriber;

a translating controller, associated with said messaging controller, operable to generate translated text messages, wherein each of said translated text messages corresponds to one of said received oral messages;

a data repository operable to store said translated text messages; and

a summary index controller, associated with said messaging controller and said data repository, operable to generate from said translated text messages a subscriber message index, wherein said subscriber message index comprises a reduced summary of one or more of said translated text messages.

2. The non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 1 wherein said summary index controller generates said subscriber message index according to criteria selected by said first subscriber.

3. The non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 1 wherein said subscriber message index comprises a listing indicating a number of translated text messages received from particular callers.

4. The non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 1 wherein said subscriber message index comprises a listing indicating a level of urgency associated with selected ones of said translated text messages.

5. The non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 1 wherein said subscriber message index comprises a listing indicating the content of selected ones of said translated text messages.

6. The non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 1 wherein said subscriber message index comprises a listing indicating a number of translated text messages received from at least one organizational group associated with one or more callers.

7. The non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 1 wherein said messaging controller is operable to receive from said subscriber a selection message indicating particular ones of said translated text messages that said first subscriber wishes to receive.

8. The non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 7 wherein said messaging controller, in response to receipt of said selection message transmits to said first subscriber selected ones of said translated text messages.

9. A method of operating a non-realtime messaging system the method comprising the steps of:

receiving from callers oral messages directed to a first subscriber of the non-realtime messaging system;

generating translated text messages, wherein each of the translated text messages corresponds to one of the received oral messages;

storing the translated text messages; and

generating from the translated text messages a subscriber message index, wherein the subscriber message index comprises a reduced summary of one or more of the translated text messages.

10. The method of operating the non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 9 wherein the subscriber message index is generated according to criteria selected by the first subscriber.

11. The method of operating the non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 9 wherein the subscriber message index comprises a listing indicating a number of translated text messages received from particular callers.

12. The method of operating the non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 9 wherein the subscriber message index comprises a listing indicating a level of urgency associated with selected ones of the translated text messages.

13. The method of operating the non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 9 wherein the subscriber message index comprises a listing indicating the content of selected ones of the translated text messages.

14. The method of operating the non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 9 wherein the subscriber message index comprises a listing indicating a number of translated text messages received from at least one organizational group associated with one or more callers.

15. The method of operating the non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 9 including the further step of transmitting the subscriber message index to a communications device associated with the first subscriber.

16. The method of operating the non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 9 including the further step of receiving from the subscriber a selection message indicating particular ones of the translated text messages that the first subscriber wishes to receive.

17. The method of operating the non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 16 including the further step of transmitting to the first subscriber selected ones of the translated text messages in response to receipt of the selection message.

18. For use in a messaging system that includes a data repository operable to store text messages translated from oral messages received in said messaging system, said oral messages and said translated text messages directed to a first subscriber, a summary index controller operable to generate from said translated text messages a subscriber message index, wherein said subscriber message index comprises a reduced summary of one or more of said translated text messages.

19. The non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 18 wherein said summary index controller generates said subscriber message index according to criteria selected by said first subscriber.

20. The non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 18 wherein said subscriber message index comprises a listing indicating a number of said translated text messages received from particular callers.

21. The non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 18 wherein said subscriber message index comprises a listing indicating a level of urgency associated with selected ones of said translated text messages.

22. The non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 18 wherein said subscriber message index comprises a listing indicating the content of selected ones of said translated text messages.

23. The non-realtime messaging system set forth in claim 18 wherein said subscriber message index comprises a listing indicating a number of said translated text messages received from at least one organizational group associated with one or more callers.